Secret bubble hotel offers a view of the night sky away from Prague’s lights

 The winter night sky is always stunning when there are no clouds, but it is hard to see from cities like Prague due to light pollution. There is an answer, though. A new hotel called Skyhome, in a heated transparent tent, is located about half an hour from Prague.

While most hotels are ranked from one to five stars, the operators of Skyhome claim they have a “million star hotel.”

The atypical hotel is the idea of two friends who identify themselves as Vít and David. They built the one-room bubble hotel during the coronavirus crisis to offer something different to people. While similar hotels can be found in other countries, so far there hasn’t been one in the Czech Republic.

Vít, who is the main investor in the project, has traveled extensively in Asia. While in Singapore, he encountered the idea of connecting the city with nature, which supported his idea of building the first bubble hotel near Prague.

David describes himself as a nature lover of nature and a fan of an alternative kind of life. “Nature charges me more than anything else; Vít and I decided to create a unique place where anyone will be able to go to relax,” David said on the Skyhome website.

Skyhome is made entirely of transparent plastic and offers views on all sides. The heated bubble has a large double bed, bean bags with table, books and drawers. A portable toilet is located nearby. Breakfast is included, as well as beverages such as coffee or wine in the evening.

“We have directed the Skyhome so that you wake up with the sunrise right in front of you and fall asleep with the sunset behind you. A wonderful atmosphere is created inside the room. We also emphasize comfort and have provided bean bag seats so you can look at the stars and the sunset in even greater comfort,” Vít and David said.

They urge people to check the weather before booking, as they cannot guarantee a clear sky. Some people may even prefer the sound or rain or seeing a snowfall from inside the safety of the bubble.

The night sky in late December will offer a real treat for astronomy fans. The planets Jupiter and Saturn will be getting closer to each other until Dec. 21, when they will appear to merge together, coinciding with the date of the winter solstice.

They have not been so close to each other since 1623, though that one was not very visible from Europe for technical reasons. To find a comparable conjunction, astronomers say you have to go back to 1226.